ryangittens
Member
- Location
- usa
Fellow PV Professionals,
According to 690.43(A), all exposed metal pars must be connected to an EGC. So on a PV array, all the metal parts (frames and rails) are bonded together and connected to and EGC which goes to the inverter. If there is a fault, it's cleared at the inverter. Correct?
I'm currently having a debate as to whether or not a GEC coming off an array and going directly to the existing grounding electrode helps with lightning protection and unnecessary inverter tripping.
I have seen instances where the array is not connected to an EGC run back to the inverter and only this GEC to existing electrode is used. I am of the opinion that this is definitely incorrect because should a fault occur on the array, it might not be interrupted by the DC GFPD.
While I am no expert on lightning protection, I also don't believe that the GEC would help that much during a direct strike as the current would pass through the house anyway.
Am I right to say that removing the GEC and bonding the array to the EGC is the correct thing to do?
Thanks in advance!
According to 690.43(A), all exposed metal pars must be connected to an EGC. So on a PV array, all the metal parts (frames and rails) are bonded together and connected to and EGC which goes to the inverter. If there is a fault, it's cleared at the inverter. Correct?
I'm currently having a debate as to whether or not a GEC coming off an array and going directly to the existing grounding electrode helps with lightning protection and unnecessary inverter tripping.
I have seen instances where the array is not connected to an EGC run back to the inverter and only this GEC to existing electrode is used. I am of the opinion that this is definitely incorrect because should a fault occur on the array, it might not be interrupted by the DC GFPD.
While I am no expert on lightning protection, I also don't believe that the GEC would help that much during a direct strike as the current would pass through the house anyway.
Am I right to say that removing the GEC and bonding the array to the EGC is the correct thing to do?
Thanks in advance!